A winter storm that could potentially be historic is headed towards the North East. Two storms are predicted to collide; one moving in from the Great Lakes that’s producing snow and another one moving up the East Coast. Once these two massive storms collide, it will bring up towards two-feet of snow and hurricane force winds in the Greater Boston area.

NWS meteorologist Kim Buttrick says, “We’re expecting the snow to begin tomorrow morning, say 7 a.m. It will be light in the morning. What we’re telling people is, if you can, try and have your errands and any other preparations done by noon. Best to just stay put and hunker down until the storm is over. The blizzard conditions are really expected to come Friday evening into the overnight.”

The National Weather Service is warning “A major winter storm is expected to impact the Northeast and New England Friday into Saturday. As much as one to two feet of snow is forecast from the New York City metro area to Maine, with localized heavier amounts possible. This, in addition to wind gusts as high as 60-75 mph will create significant impacts to transportation and power.”

They also predict that “travel may become near impossible at times with considerable blowing and drifting snow.” Late Wednesday, the weather service issued a blizzard watch for the New England region which means that a blizzard is forecasted within the next 36 hours.

The winter storm is already building up Thursday around the Great Lakes, where 6 to 12 inches could fall in parts of Wisconsin, Michigan and New York state. Winter storm warnings are in place in those states.

The hardest-hit cities could be Hartford; Providence; Boston; Worcester, Mass.; Concord, N.H.; Portsmouth, N.H.; and Portland, Maine, AccuWeather predicts. Boston could see at least a foot of snow, possibly more. This will be the first major snowfall for that city this winter.

Accuweather also reports that many people could be caught offguard Friday evening. While the drive to work or school may be manageable but slippery Friday morning, weather conditions for the drive home in the evening are likely to grow worse by the minute in southern and central New England. A person traveling northeastward from New York City to Boston Friday evening along I-95 would encounter increasingly challenging and potentially dangerous weather conditions.

Snow Storm Timeline:

Thursday: Light to moderate snow will start to spread through the western Great Lakes which include cities like Milwaukee, Chicago and Grand Rapids, Michigan. Patchy freezing rain and sleet possible.

Thursday night: Snow will start to end in the eastern Wisconsin and northeast Illinois, continues in Lower Michigan. It then starts to spread into the eastern Great Lakes, Upstate New York, parts of New England.

Friday: Snow will begin in the morning in the southern parts of New England which include cities like, Boston and Hartford. Heavy at times, over New York state, far northern/northeast Pennsylvania and most of New England through the day. Changeover to rain expected along southern New England coast, Long Island, NYC area by afternoon.

Friday night: Heavy snow will be over most of the New England area, Upstate New York, as far south as the Lower Hudson Valley. Snowfall rates of 2-3″ per hour are possible in coastal New England, including Boston, Hartford, and Portland, Maine.

Saturday: Heavy snow with strong winds will continue in the North East states much of the day. Snow will start to end around New York City and will start to taper off in Boston Saturday evening.

This winter storm has the potential to make a historic weather event in the century-old records in the Boston area. Since 1892, the city’s biggest snowstorms were a 27.5-inch blast in February 2003 and a 27.1-inch dumping exactly 35 years ago, in 1978, NBC News reports.

Mayor Thomas Menino closed city schools for Friday and pleaded for common sense. “Stay off the streets of our city,” he said. “Basically, stay home.”

This nor’easter winter storm is hitting just after the 35th anniversary of the historic blizzard of 1978, which paralyzed the region with more than 2 feet of snow and hurricane force winds between February 5th and 7th that year.

The last major snowstorm in the New England area was Halloween in 2011, which knocked out power to many with heavy, wet snow.

The people that are most excited about this winter storm in the north east? Ski Resorts in northern New England. While they don’t have to depend on snow fall to have the ski resort open, because they can make their own, they do find people are more inspired to get out and ski when they have snow in their backyard.

Timeline of Winter Storm in North East

The Northeast should begin feeling the effects of Winter Storm Nemo by early Friday. The Weather Channel Winter Weather Expert Tom Niziol takes a look at the timing of the storm.

Winter Storm Crippling for North East

Winter Storm Nemo will bring heavy snow and high winds this weekend to parts of the Northeast and New England. Up to two feet of snow is possible.

Nor’Easter Snow Storm

Blizzard is on its way to New England and the Northeastern US. It will be a blizzard for eastern and central New England, while a snowstorm for most of New York State and northern PA.